DUBOIS – Bunting-DuBois is pleased to announce the retirement of Don Lindstrom, general manager, after a distinguished 19-year career at Bunting.
Don has been instrumental in the growth and success of the Elk Grove and DuBois facilities, leaving a lasting impact on the company and its people.
Don’s career in the magnet industry spans over 35 years, including 18 years with Arnold Magnetic Technologies prior to joining Bunting.
He holds an industrial engineering degree from Millikin University and an MBA from the University of Nebraska. In 2006, Don was hired as general manager of Bunting-Elk Grove Village.
Recalling his initial interview, Don said, “For the interview, Bob Bunting personally picked me up from the Wichita airport in an old company pickup truck.
“He said his vehicle was in the shop. As I put my suitcase in the bed of the truck, I thought to myself, ‘well, this is interesting.’”
During his eight-year tenure at Elk Grove, Don oversaw the creation of the first BuyMagnets.com Web site, and expanded the business into new markets, including the baking industry, which proved to be a successful endeavor.
He also guided the facility through the challenges of the 2008 Great Recession, helping it achieve its strongest performance to date at that time.
“We had a good run,” Don reminisces. “I enjoyed working with the team in EGV. It was a small, cohesive team. When everyone does their job and works together as a team, success follows.”
In 2008, Don played a key role in the acquisition of Magnet Applications in DuBois. Six years later, in 2014, Don relocated from Illinois to Pennsylvania to manage the newly acquired Magnet Applications (now Bunting-DuBois).
“It was a big move because most of my immediate family was in the Chicago area,” Don recalls. “But we did it for Bob and the Bunting team.”
Over the next decade, Don and his team at DuBois successfully expanded into new markets, including the automotive industry, where they supplied a major Tier 1 Automotive Supplier.
Don was also pivotal in creating a new automated assembly system to better serve customers and fulfill high-volume orders.
In 2016, Bunting consolidated operations by moving all Compression Bonded Magnet equipment from Bunting-Berkhamsted to DuBois.
This massive undertaking, which involved shipping presses, ovens, magnetizing equipment and fixtures from the UK to the U.S., was completed successfully, with operations resuming at optimal levels in short order.
“I’m really proud of our employees in DuBois,” Don says. “We have reached over 12 years without a lost time accident. That’s rare for a manufacturing company.
“We always tried to take care of things immediately and were proactive to avoid accidents. The DuBois team has always been very customerfocused, as evidenced by our outstanding customer surveys. I’ve always believed that if you take care of the customer, the business takes care of itself.”
As Don enters retirement, he looks forward to reconnecting with extended family and embracing life outside of work.
His plans include traveling with his wife Paula, visiting his children and grandchildren, completing home projects and picking up golf again.
Reflecting on his time at Bunting, Don says, “I’ve met and gotten to know a lot of great people in Newton, Elk Grove Village our UK locations and DuBois. I was fortunate to be part of a really great team. Everyone has been supportive from day one.
“I appreciate the support from Bob and the teams at all the Bunting locations. The connections I’ve made at Bunting are for life. You don’t work somewhere like this for 18 years and leave without making life-long connections.”
Don also shares his appreciation for Jerry Wang, Bunting-China chief representative, with whom he has maintained a close working relationship.
“I’ve always appreciated the work Jerry’s done with our global supply chain. It’s so vital and critical to all the Bunting businesses.”
Most importantly, Don extends his heartfelt thanks to Bob Bunting.
“Thank you to Bob Bunting for hiring me during a critical time of the company’s growth,” Don says. “I’m forever grateful for the opportunity and for trusting me with these responsibilities.”
Bunting-DuBois and the entire Bunting community express their deepest gratitude to Don Lindstrom for his 19 years of hard work and dedication. They wish him all the best in his well-deserved retirement.